I’m so excited to finally get to share Gloria’s story with the world. This series started at The Wardrobe Dinner Theater when an orphaned dancer and a photographer-turned-actress were two of many auditioning for roles in the upcoming season. During the audition, they met Gloria—the resident star—who quirked a finely plucked eyebrow and issued the challenge to “try to keep up.” Needless to say, the pampered diva was not happy to share a company apartment with the two newcomers nor thrilled when the spotlight later shifted. . .

Gloria Houghton turned away from the list and faked a smile as her castmates congratulated her on another supporting role. She forced herself to take a deep breath, and then one more, as she squeezed through the crowd of actors outside the dressing rooms at The Wardrobe Dinner Theatre.

Yet the light-headed feeling remained. What would it take to regain her status as the leading lady? Then again, who was she kidding? She’d hoped for a bigger part this time, but she also knew that her surgically repaired knee couldn’t take the beating. Oh, she could keep living on pain pills and ice packs and try not to limp through the season. The only other alternative was to tell the owners that she needed to take more time off—for what, physical therapy? Another surgery?

“I’m stuck in the ensemble again. While Evan’s already flirting with his new costar. Ever since I hurt my knee, nothing’s gone my way around here.” A clumsy fall in her kitchen had torn her knee and ripped the starring role from her grasp, leaving behind the pain of dashed dreams and the nagging fear that she would never regain the spotlight.

“Nothing?” Liz gestured to the stage around them. “You’re about to be Milly.”

“A lot of good that will do, because the future isn’t looking so bright.”

“Some things are more important than the spotlight.”

“Well, I guess I haven’t found them yet.” Gloria looked around the stage area. Had it always been so small? “And I’m not sure I’ll ever find them here.”

“If you haven’t read the other books in this series, don’t let that stop you. Sing a New Song stands on its own. Then again, Candee Fick writes such good stories, it just makes sense to get all of the books and read them from the start.”

Maybe it was time for her to say goodbye to musical theater too and focus on singing instead.

“I hope you find what you’re looking for.” Liz smiled and then drifted away toward one of the wings, leaving Gloria alone at center stage.

Her voice could be her magic ticket to the future. But where?

She didn’t necessarily want a solo act, so those television audition shows to find the next voice were out of the question. And while actresses flocked to Hollywood or New York City, most singers usually ended up in Nashville—only to get lost in the crowd of hopefuls.

“Sing a New Song was a really good book! It is the first book that I have read by this author and will definitely not be the last. The characters in this story felt like real people! . . . Their romance was really well written. I look forward to reading more by this author.”

If only her new beginning didn’t depend upon a flawless first impression.

Gloria applied another layer of lip gloss and fluffed the curled blond hair around her shoulders. With one last rehearsed smile in the mirror, she stashed the makeup in her purse and exited Sherwood Theater’s restroom.

After a long-distance audition and weeks of rehearsing the music on her own, the time had come to meet the rest of the singers in the brand-new “Rockin’ the Decades” show debuting soon on the strip in Branson, Missouri.

“Not every book makes it onto my five-star radar, but occasionally I read something that truly makes me think alongside the hero. Flick has done an amazing job of carrying the reader on Gloria’s journey in a way that makes it personal. A tenderly crafted story about the real magic behind the lights, about what is true instead of what we pretend to be, Sing a New Song is a story that will stay with you long after you turn the last page.”

Nearing the backstage area, she scanned the map on her phone to locate the rehearsal room.

Almost there. Gloria glanced up just in time for her foot to slip out from under her on the wet floor. Her weak knee buckled, and the concrete floor came rushing toward her. Reaching for anything to break her fall, her fingers grazed the edge of a rolling bucket of mop water, tipping her phone into the liquid a moment before it—and the mop—toppled over. She landed hard on her right shoulder an instant before a flood of water soaked the upper half of her body.

“This is a really good and well written book! A first for me from this author and I want to read more books from Candee Flick. I enjoyed following Gloria on her journey of finding a life more important than what she has previously lived. . . . I encourage you to grab a copy of Sing A New Song for your own enjoyment. You will find a story of love, forgiveness and redemption. A story of the importance of family.”

“The spark between the two of them is a slow burning flame that is refreshing to get in a romance novel these days. I felt like they also were able to teach each other a lot about life. And of course they were helped out a lot by Granny, who is the wisest one of them all. . . . once I got into it, I greatly enjoyed reading it. Again, I am interested in checking out the rest of the series now.”

Gloria swiped the mess away from her face in time to spot two dark-haired men exiting a nearby room—her destination. They elbowed past the janitor and helped her to her feet, one on each side.

While taking a moment to regain her balance, she eyed her handsome rescuers. Ah, yes. Thanks to her online research, she recognized them as members of the famous Sherwood clan, the family who was the headline act for this theater but also owned both the hotel down the hill and the cheesy tourist shop next door.

In the dim light, it was hard to tell which one was Gavin and which was Tyler. Still, the twins were even cuter in person, with black T-shirts hugging muscled chests and faded blue jeans encasing long legs.

“I especially appreciated the way Candee Fick made Gloria more relatable and likable in Sing a New Song. The challenges thrown at her from her entry into the theater in Branson are immediate and keep on building until she’s brought to her lowest point and something has to change. And a change of character starts with a change of heart. Gloria is making changes for the better. leaning into the Father she can always count on. . . . This book is an excellent addition to the series that shows that change and growth are possible for those you sometimes doubt the most.”

After an unsuccessful search in the supply room, Nick led her into the adjacent office. “Have a seat there while I look around.” He bypassed the desk and its cushioned chair, instead deliberately pointing to a five-gallon bucket of something as he made his way across the room.

Lovely. Did he think to punish her for falling, interrupting his work, and making a mess? Well, she didn’t have to stoop to his level of pettiness. At least not today.

The twins were her ticket to stardom in Branson, and she needed to make a better impression. Starting with what she could control. Like her hair.

A quick squeeze of the wet half sent a stream running down her arm before she fluffed the strands with her fingers. Even after it dried, the contrast between the curled and non-curled sides would look ridiculous. Unless…

“Sorry, Princess, but I don’t keep any mirrors or curling irons in here.” Nick bit his lip as if trying to hold back a smile.

“Seeing Gloria’s growth over the course of Sing a New Song is a delight, plus the romance she finds is entirely heartwarming. It’s the first of Fick’s books I’ve read, but I enjoyed it so much that I know it won’t be the last.”

Conscious of the passing time, Gloria scrambled out of her wet shirt and slipped into the gigantic dry one. She rolled up the sleeves, then gathered the mid-thigh-length fabric and tucked it into the waistband of her damp jeans. After wringing out her T-shirt into an empty bucket in the corner, she left the office behind and carefully retraced her steps toward the rehearsal room.

“Sing a New Song is a love song to music shows (a la Branson or Gatlinburg), family, grace, and of course God who rejoices over us with singing. Gloria and Nick have a simmering chemistry right from the start and it only gets better from there! I’ve loved all the books in this series so far, and I think this one is the best yet!”

Songbird Gloria Houghton has always needed to be the center of attention, but the spotlight has shifted. Seeking fame and a fresh start, she finds a new stage in Branson, Missouri…only to risk being replaced by a manipulative rival. If Gloria can’t be the star, who is she?

Jack-of-all-trades Nick Sherwood is just one leaf on a vast family tree that includes a restaurant chef, hotel owners, and even the headline act at a family-owned theater. He’s seen how fame can blind a person with jealousy and is more than content to stay in the background thank you very much. If only he wasn’t so fascinated–and irritated–by the newest addition to the staff.

After a disaster of a first impression and financial difficulties land Gloria in the humblest of jobs—with Nick as her boss—it might be time for her to learn to sing a new song.

Candee Fick is a multipublished, award-winning author. She is also the wife of a high school football coach and the mother of three children, including a daughter with a rare genetic syndrome. When not busy writing, editing, or coaching other authors, she can be found cheering on the home team at sporting events, exploring the great Colorado outdoors, indulging in dark chocolate, and savoring happily-ever-after endings through a good book.

In addition to writing clean faith-based romance novels and inspirational non-fiction, Candee coaches other authors with their marketing plans and offers content editing to aspiring novelists. She is a member of both American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and the Christian Proofreaders and Editors Network. Her fiction has semi-finaled, finaled, and won the ACFW Genesis Contest and Selah Awards.

– One 1st prize winner will receive: the complete set of The Wardrobe Series (ebook only if international winner, otherwise print copies) plus a $25 Amazon gift card
– One 2nd prize winner will receive: Copy of Sing a New Song (ebook only if international winner, US winner can choose ebook or print) plus a $10 Amazon gift card
– Ends May 15, 2019